Improvement in stoves



- W. E. HAGAN.. METHOD 0E BURNING EUEE PoE GENEE'ATING HEAT, EEEVENTINGSMOKE,

AND DBSULFURIZING THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTIDN.

Patented Mary, 1864.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM E. HAGAN, or TROY, NEW YORK, AssIcNon To Joni-'NPATENT OFFICE.

B. oALE.

IMPROVEMENT 1N sTovEs.

Spccilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 4l,89f7, dutcdMal-ch 8,1864.

lower` part of a heating-stove for burning fuel. according to myimproved method; Fig. 2, a

vertical section thereof, taken at the line A va of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3,a horizontal section taken at the line B b of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is avertical and Fig. 5 a horizontal section of a modified form ofl thefire-chamber, Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical and Fig. 7 `a crossvertical section of a cooking-stove for burning fuel according to mysaid improved method. Fig. 8

is va longitudinal vertical section of a heatingfurnace formetallurgical purposes, with the nre-chamber adapted to my improvedmethod of 'burning fuel. Fig. 9`v is a horizontal section of the same,taken at the` line C c of Fig. 8; and Fig. 10, a cross vertical sectiontaken at the line D d of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a vertical section of acupola-furnace for reducing ores, and Fig. 12 a like view of ablast-furnace,

both adapted to my improved method of burn-l ing fuel. V

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying drawings the same lettersindicate like parts,'and in the said figures a represents a fire-chamberwith a grate, b, at bottom, on which the fuel to be burned is placed.lThere is an ash-pan, c, below, of the-.usual oranyv suitableconstruction, so that atmosphericair can have access 'through itandbetween the grate-bars tothe fuel, not only to ignite it, butafterward during the` process of combustion. The fire-chamber is formedby an inner surrounding wall, d, and between the 4inner and the outerwall, e, there are two steam-chambers,jff, or, if preferred,- a singlesteam-chamber may extend all around. The steam-*chambers are providedeach with a steam-pipe, g, extending to any suitable steam --generator,whether so placed as to have the steam generated by the re in thefire-chamber a or by any other lire. Thesteam'supplied to the chamber or4chambers f is suprheated-by the heat radiated from the inner wall, d,and escapes'in numerous iine jets, through a series of apertures, h,made for that'purpose through the. inner wall, d. The innersurface ofthe inner wall, d, is grooved, as represented at@l in Figs. 1 and 2, thebottom of the grooves bei'ng in line with the series of holes to reducevthe thickness of the wall at the perforations, through which the steamis suppliedto the incandescent coals to 'prevent the too rapiddestruction of the wall by oxidation. Instead of making these grooves onthe inner surface next to the "Lire, they maybe made on the other 0rsteam side, and they may run in any direction, althoughl I prefer thedirection repre sented; or, instead of grooves, the thickness.

of thewall may be reduced at `the several perforations, in the mannerrepresented in Figs. 4`a nd 5, by conical recesses or couutersinks, asat j. i The fire-chamber should be filled with the fuel, -so as to be incontact with the inner .wall and .extend up to or above the upper rangeof perforations.- The fuel is ignited in the usual manner'by a draft ofatmos` ph eric air from therash-pan, and after the coals are in anincandescent state steam-is to be admittedA to the 'chamber or chambersf, Where it willbe superheated and escape -through the apertures h, andimpinge in' numerous small jetsagainst-the ignited coals. The supply of.steam thus introduced will check the draft 'of air through the fuel,although a sufficient quantity will continue to pass to maintain thefuel inl `an incandescent state. The superheated steam thus supplied andimpinging in numerous fine jetsv against the incandescent coals will beinstantly decomposed, and the resulting gases in the nascent state willcombine with the gaseous products of the' coal in the nascent state, andthus generate more heat for a given quantity of fuel than by any otherknown method. A' larger volume of flame' will. be prduced, scthat theheat evolved can be diffused to great advantage; the union of the gasesin the nascent state will eifectually prevent the evolution of smoke; nooxidizing gases will be evolved,so that the fire-chamber can be safelyconstructed of materials which would otherwise be readily destroyed byoxidation, and the heated products of the com bnstion, for the samereason, will be admirably adapted to metallurgical operations; andsulphur, if any be contained in the fuel, will be oxidized, or so muchdiluted that ame f1tted for metallurgical operations may be obtainedfrom pyritous fuels. e

n Figs. 6 and 7 ofthe accompanying drawings, which represent my saidmethod of burning fuel as applied to cookingstoves, a is an oblongfire-chamber, and b the grate on which the fuel is placed, and c, and dthe front and back iire-Walls,grooved and pierced with numerous smallholesfor the escape of superheated steam, to impinge `on ltheincandescent coals,as above described, from the steam-chambers f f,which are to be supplied with steam by` two pipes, g g, leading frolnasuitable generator. Suitable boiler-holes, l1, h, are to be formedin thetop plate above theiire-chamber. Ovens and other appurtenances are to beprovidedas in other cooking stoves and ranges. If desired,steam-chambers and perforated wall may be made at theends of thelire-'chamber as well as in front and at the back.

In Figs. S, t), and l() of the accompanying drawings, which represent mysaid inventionI as applied to a heating-furnace for metallurgi-` `caloperations, a represents the-workingbottom, Where the metals to beworked are heated; 'b, the fire-bridge, and c theilue leading tothechimney. Each side of the fire-chamber d there is a steam-chamber, e,the inner v, walls, f f, of the chambers forming the side walls of thefire-chamber. These walls'are grooved and pierced with numerousv smallholes, as in the other examples, for the escape `of superheated steamto'impinge on the incandescent fuel. The steam-chambers are providedwith steam-'pipes g g,'to supply steam to the chambers c from somesuitable generator. The steam-pipes g g ymay be coiled in any suitab1emanner in closeproximity with the heated part of the furnace, the betterto superheat the steam, yas the pipes are arranged to heat the blast infurnaces working with'hot-blast.

\ l contemplate in some instances placing a y steam-generator, h, midwaybetween the two side chambers, e e, the walls of: which areV to begrooved andfperforated in like manner, and` to be supplied with steamin4 the same way. I have also contemplated providing the steam-chamberswith a pipe or pipes for the escape of'l steam, in addition to thepipeor pipes for the introductionof steam.l Such an 1. arrangementisrepresent-ed in connection with the central steam-chamber, hwhi chisprovi ded with a central wall, l?, between the two perfo 1 rated walls.The steam is admitted on one side of the central wall i,from asuitablevgenerator, by the steam-pipe j, and on the other side of thecent1-al1 wall there is an escape-V steam pipe vprovided with a'valvelor cock, 'L'.

mainly escape from this pipe, and but little will escapev through theperforations to impinge on the coals, and it will result from this thatsmoke will be evolved from the fire in greater orless quant-ity,depending on .the size of opening of the valve.

l For many purposes in metallurgical operations it is desirable at timesto cause smoke tobe evolved with the flames, and by the A means abovedescribed this can be effected.

In' Figs. 1l and 12 my said invention is represented as applied to ablast and to a cupola' plate, b, and with the steam-pipes c c, forsupplying steam from some suitable generator. rlhe said furnaces aretobeprovided below withtuyeresdin the usual manner for the blast of air.y

, From the foregoing any one skilled in the construction of stoves andfurnaces for generatingnheat for various purposes in the arts will beenabled to apply my said invention to the various purposeswhich may bedesired, as my invention relates entirely to the method of managing thecombustion of the fuel.

My discovery relates to the effects produced by the application ofsuperheated steam in numerous jets so as to impinge,without'ad mixtureof atmospheric air, against the incandescent coals, so that the gasesresulting from the decomposition of the snperheated steam shall mingleand combine with the gases evolved from the' coal while theselatter arealso in the nascent statei r I believe the true theory or rationale ofmy said new method to be as follows, Viz: The combustion of coal bymeans of a small amount of air-'anda considerable volume ofsuperheatedsteam (H08) takes place with two distinct reactions, although connected.When superheated steam impinges on ignited coal or naming fuel, itbecomes decomposed into hydrogen and carbonio-acid gases. The intenseignition of the coal is somewhat reduced by the heat absorbed in the actof decomposition, and the highly-heated gases convey it away to thepoint where they burn. the fuel issuch as would produce smoke,

perfectly in air, the highly-heated steam seizes upon these and suffersdecomposition. The

mixtures of hydrogen and carbonio' acid are present momentarily, as 1nthe case of the steam impinging on ignited coal, the more combustibleparts of the coal or fuel having been first taken up to form thesegases. The second reaction is the combustionof the hydrogen by thecarbonio acidl (0210,) present at an elevated temperature, developing agreat additional heat with the formation of carbonio oxide, (CaO,) whichconsumes afterward in presence of air.

As steam has heretofore been applied, we have had steam thrown on coalunder conditions favoring the production of hydrogemcarbureted hydrogen,and carbonio oxide, which were burned farther on by contact with air andl When produced heat; but the robbing of the fuel of its heat ofcombustion to form carbonio oxide left little gain in economicalresults, and only in case of special application were such modesimportant. By my discovery, however, the heated vapor of water formingat once carbonio acid maintains the heat of combustion nearly as well asair does, while at a more distant part of theiriowtheintense heatfollowing the combustion of hydrogen by carbonio acid is obtained,thecarbonio oxide resulting burning as it comes in Contact With air. Theessential difference between this and the Well-known plans rests on themodifications of combustion brought about by the limited amount of airsupplied to the burning fuel, and the substitution of heated vapor (H05)for air in part. Economically the result obtained has a high value, asit prevents the accumulation of heat in masses of fuel, and destructionthereby of furnace-walls. It carries theheatinavolumi nous flame to theplace of application. This combustion oXidizes sulphur and dilutes theproducts so much' that a flame fitted for metallurgicaloperations may be`obtained from pyritous fuel. 4

Although -I believe this to be the true explanation of the chemicalchanges which take place in Working my said method, I do not Wish to beunderstood as resting my claim on the soundness or' the theory as hereinstated, my claim resting on the discovery of the better results due tothe application of superheated steam, so as to impinge directly againsttheincandescent coals without admixture of atmospheric air, but inconnection with atmospheric air applied by draft or blast in the usualway.

I am aware that prior to my said discovery steam was applied to aid inthe combustion of fuel; but in such `cases it was either applied withatmospheric air below the grate or applied separately above the fuel,and with tne blast or draft of atmospheric air from below; but neitherof these methods will produce results like my discovery or invention.

What I claim as Amy discovery or invention in the management ofcombustion in firel. The application, substantially as herein described,of superheated steam in jets so as to impinge, without admixture withatmospheric air, directly against the incandescent coals, in addition toor in combination with the supply separately of atmospheric air, eitherby draft or blast in the usual 'mannen as set forth, and for the purposespecified.

2. In the construction of fire-chambers for the combustion of fuel, andprovided with apertures at or near the bottom for the admission ofatmospheric air, combining therewith a steam chambery or chambers forsuperheated steam, the inner wall of the steam chamber or'- chalnbershaving numerous small apertures next to the fuel for the escape of thesuperheated steam to impinge, Without admixture of atmospheric air,against the incandescent coals, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

3. In the construction of fire-chambers combined, substantiallyashercindescribed, with a chamber or chambers for superheated steam, andlwith numerous apertures for the escape of jets of superheated steam toimpinge against the incandescent coals, making the'perforated wall ofthe lire-chamber grooved or the equivalent thereof, to reduce thethickness of the wall at the perforations, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

W. E. HAGAN.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. FLAGG, RICHARD F.- HALL.

